In recent years, various groups of peptide derivatives having activity against viruses have been disclosed. Examples of these peptides are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,780, issued to Beaulieu et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,854, issued to Schlesinger et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,432 issued to Freidinger et al.; Dutia et al., Nature 321:439 (1986); and Cohen et al., Nature 321:441 (1986). However, many of the known antiviral peptides known in the art are hydrophobic, and therefore, not very bioavailable. Moreover, many of these known antiviral peptides show activity against only a few types of viruses, due to their particular mechanisms of action. Additionally, many of these synthetic peptides are not effective in preventing initial viral infection, particularly against some of the virus types that most affect individuals.
Influenza virus causes millions of infection each year worldwide and is responsible for up to 20,000 deaths per year in the United States. Human Parainfluenza virus types 1,2,3 and Respiratory syncytial virus types A and B are the major viral pathogens responsible for causing severe respiratory tract infections in infants and young children. It is estimated that, in the United States alone, approximately 1.6 million infants under one year of age will have a clinically significant RSV infection each year and an additional 1.4 million infants will be infected with PIV-3. Approximately 4000 infants less than one year of age in the United States die each year from complications arising from severe respiratory tract disease caused by infection with RSV and PIV-3.
Currently, no product exists which can effectively prevent infections from many respiratory viruses such as Respiratory Syncitial Virus and Human Parainfluenza virus. There remains a need for a treatment which is effective at preventing a wide range of cellular infections. There also remains a need for an antiviral peptide that can be easily and effectively administered to prevent infection from common respiratory viruses.